Hello, I have just begun digging into Java games and I am trying to get all the information I can. Does anyone have suggestions for good books? I have heard many good things about "Developing Games in Java" by David Brackeen. This guy also has a web site with examples of games he has written which look pretty cool.

Also, which API's are most commonly used for Java game development. I have heard of this JOGL. Has anyone here used it?

As BB metnioend, for JOGL, JOAL and JINput see the appropriate forums. If youa re doing 3D you want to use either Java3D, JOGL or LWJGL depending on your needs.

Java3D is a scene graph type API it is the easiest to use and does the most "game engine" type stuff for you. It also has some limits in terms of not beign able toa cess the latest hardware features like pixel shaders (yet.)

JOGL is a thin wrapper over OGL which is prety much the standard low levle way to tlak to 3D cards these days.

LWJGL is an alterante OGL binding that also has sound (like JOAL) and controller input (like JInput) built in. It has the advantage that, unlike JOGL, it does not require AWT. This doesnt mean much if yo uare shipping Java classes but if yo uare compilign it can be a savings.The flip side though is that it cannot cooperate with AWT or Swing if you want to do that.

There is also a forum for LWJGL btw.

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i have bought the brackeen book and im very satisfied. before this book i read Tao of Java Game Programming, a good starting book, but with many mistakes and some questions keeping not answered.

but back to brackeen: in his book he describes only the very main aspects about 2d-programming, so if youre interested in going deeper with 2d you should have another book besides. the 3d-part seems to be very interesting and quite complete (for beginning purposes) but i havent read it completely. i think, a good book, but you will definitely need a very good knowledge base of java programming in general and you should have a clear idea on how game programming works.

I have Brackeen's book too, "Developing Games in Java". I like it for the most part. Nekromant is right on about the content. The first part of the book hits on some basic game concepts and goes over a little 2D game. The bulk of the book is about 3D graphics and looks to be great for beginning level on that subject. He goes over building pretty much an entire engine from scratch. Also covered are some good general topics like path finding, collision detection, game scripting, and multiplayer.

If you're looking for a great super noob java book, I'd reccomend Head First Java, from O'Reilly books. It has lots of pictures and real simple code. You build some really neat, fun things though and it covers all the basics in a fun manner that makes it easy to read and remember. It might help to some programming experience (I knew a little C before I started on Java) but I think the book can teach you most of the "basic basics" too. Highly reccomended.

Actually, I second Head First Java... My Java has never been too great (my job required MFC's (C++), C, shell-scripting, etc, and no Java), so I'm using it as a fun way to refresh myself (and learn stuff I never covered in class). I also have the Brackeen book and it looks extremely promising. Also, Black Art of Java Programming and Java game Programming for Dummies seem okay, but are very heavily applet oriented. Not java specific, but I'm liking "Data Structures for game programmers" for some data structure knowledge (I plan to go through that and the another "real" data structures book later), too. And, of course, the OpenGL Red book.

- 3D Math Primer for Graphics and Game Development - The Brackeen book already mentioned- Pure JFC 2D Graphics and Imaging

Thats a bit 'bouncy' in the spectrum, but I think it answers most any common questions you'll run across.

I really enjoed the 3D Math book. It does an excellent job of explaining not only how to do the math, but why you're doing it. It also covers 2D as well, though there are a few places where I wish it had more complete 2D examples.

David Brackeen is very good about returning emails as well. I've jotted a few and each time he has responded. It sometimes takes awhile. The only complaint I have with his book is the network section. It was done on a linux box and it shows. The rest of the chapters and code can happily use Ant to compile and didn't seem to pose any cross platform differences. The other thing is the chapter doesn't seem as finished as the others.

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